Richard N. Fogoros, MD, is a retired professor of medicine and board-certified internal medicine physician and cardiologist. While the research is early and there is much left to be learned, people who have thalassemia (at least some types) may be more susceptible to contracting coronavirus and having a serious outcome. Doctors sometimes incorrectly prescribe iron supplements for people with thalassemia trait if they mistake their symptoms for iron deficiency. Here's What You Need to Know, Omicron Infection Timeline: When Symptoms Start and How Long They Last. Key areas covered include patients' risk level, adaptation of haemoglobinopathy care, safety of blood transfusions, blood supply challenges, and lifestyle and nutritional considerations. By. A protein called the Rh factor can also be present (+) or absent (-) from the blood. A 2022 study found that people with beta-thalassemia trait were also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. It's currently recommended that people with thalassemia who have severe COVID-19 be given blood thinners, though this could change as more is learned. Moreover, the excess amount of iron, contributing to oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of the disease, alters the immune system in -thalassemia, which is important during the COVID-19 pandemic. In general, people with severe diseases are at a higher risk from COVID-19. 2020;40(4):587-601.doi:10.1016/j.cll.2020.08.013, Hossain MS, Raheem E, Siddidqee MH. Noun P, Ibrahim A, Hodroj MH, Bou-Fakhredin R, Taher AT. There are some theories on why there could be a link: Your red blood cells are covered with molecules that are known as antigens, Thomas Russo, MD, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo, told Health. "At the end of the day, we're still not sure if blood type makes a difference," said Dr. Russo. The novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) is a contagious acute respiratory infectious disease whose causative agent has been demonstrated to be a novel virus of the coronavirus family, SARSCoV-2. Some blood donation programs were stopped (or decreased) worldwide, and hesitancy of blood donors to venture out and risk exposure to COVID-19 has also contributed to shortages. Since thalassemia trait causes only mild symptoms, if any, it usually doesnt affect life expectancy. rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/thalassemia-major/, bccdc.ca/Health-Info-Site/Documents/COVID-19_vaccine/Thalassemia_Clinical_Guidance.pdf, heart.org/en/beyond-the-table/stories/covid-19-vaccine-is-high-priority-for-cardiac-patients, autoimmuneinstitute.org/vaccine-autoimmune-disease-faq/, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8811850/, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7321655/, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8247188/, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9016533/, medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.25.22278009v1.full, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8397014/, ncsl.org/research/health/school-immunization-exemption-state-laws.aspx, cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/downloads/summary-interim-clinical-considerations.pdf, cdc.gov/ncbddd/thalassemia/treatment.html, cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/interim-considerations-us.html, Everything You Need to Know About Thalassemia, Will COVID-19 Vaccines Give Lifelong Immunity to the Disease? There are very few medications that are contraindicated (should not be used) in people who may be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or who have developed a COVID-19 infection. SARS-CoV-2 infection in beta thalassemia: Preliminary data from the Italian experience. 2019;133(12):1279-1289.doi:10.1182/blood-2018-10-879247, Yasara N, Premawardhena A, Mettananda S. A comprehensive review of hydroxyurea for -haemoglobinopathies: the role revisited during COVID-19 pandemic. You likely wont have any symptoms. Jean-Mignard E, et al. The causal virus behind this disease, SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), conceivably attacks the . Possible symptoms include: Doctors sometimes mistake symptoms of thalassemia trait for iron deficiency. What We Know. Current recommendations for those in the United States is that iron chelation therapy be continued unless symptoms of COVID-19 develop. Blood banking and transfusion medicine challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Iron . They often share similar symptoms but have different causes as well as different treatments and severity. Keywords: ; 4 Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences . The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging infectious disease that has become a global public health concern after being first reported in China and has subsequently spread worldwide. In a 2021 pilot study, researchers found a strong association between the presence of beta thalassemia minor and COVID-19 mortality. A Practical Approach to the Management of Cancer Patients During the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: An International Collaborative Group. Those two factors make up the eight most common blood types: A+, A-, B+, B-, O+, O-, AB+, and AB-. WHO COVID19 Dashboard. (2021). Most hemoglobin is made up of alpha and beta chains. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted Learn what having thalassemia may mean for you during the COVID-19 pandemic. It causes mild to severe respiratory illness with some flu-like symptoms. ; 3 Hemoglobinopathies and Congenital Anemia Center, Ospedale Galliera, Genoa, Italy. In thalassemia, the body is unable to make either alpha or beta chains in adequate amounts. Thalassemia: Complications & treatment. Among people aged 36 or older, an average of 60% of thalassemia patients had at least one coexisting condition (100% in the non-transfusion dependent group and 41.7% in the transfusion-dependent group). In fact, fewer than 57% of all Americans know their blood type, according to a 2019 survey from Quest Diagnostics. eCollection 2022. Drouin E, et al. 2020 Jun;25(6):e936-e945. Thalassemias. "Long COVID" is a term meaning symptoms that persist after the infection has cleared. They do not require any specific treatment. 1 Platt L, Warwick R. Are some ethnic groups To begin, think of something you've had time to do that you'd otherwise not have time for, or something you learned. Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, shopping, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Womens Health, Self, Prevention, Forbes, Daily Beast, and more. Risk of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 by transfusion: A literature review. Ruangvutilert P, et al. Guidelines for the Management of NonTransfusion Dependent Thalassaemias, 2nd ed. A comprehensive review of studies published in Seminars in Vascular Surgery in September 2021 examined peer-reviewed journal articles published from March 2020 to January 2021. Still, the study authors wrote, "the impact of blood type on clinical outcomes remains unclear. Vitamin and mineral supplementation may be recommended for some people with thalassemia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mark S. Lesney. It's important to note that complications of thalassemia likely played a role in the severity of outcomes. Unlike its alpha counterpart, only one gene (HBB) is responsible for making hemoglobin beta. Thalassemia is a hereditary disorder that affects the production of hemoglobin. Transfusion. Beta-thalassemia trait is less common. Certain medications have been approved to reduce the frequency of transfusions needed. People with certain medical conditions, Prevalence and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in transfusion dependent and non-transfusion dependent -thalassemia patients and effects of associated comorbidities: an Iranian nationwide study, Care of patients with hemoglobin disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: An overview of recommendations, Blood banking and transfusion medicine challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, The forgotten people with thalassemia in the time of COVID-19: South Asian perspective, Luspatercept improves hemoglobin levels and blood transfusion requirements in a study of patients with -thalassemia, A comprehensive review of hydroxyurea for -haemoglobinopathies: the role revisited during COVID-19 pandemic, FDA Approves First Cell-Based Gene Therapy to Treat Adult and Pediatric Patients with Beta-thalassemia Who Require Regular Blood Transfusions, Management of hemoglobin disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, Could iron chelators prove to be useful as an adjunct to COVID-19 Treatment Regimens, Risk of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 by transfusion: A literature review, Vitamin and mineral supplementation for -thalassemia during COVID-19 pandemic, A Southeast Asian perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic: hemoglobin E (HbE)-trait confers resistance against COVID-19, Beta-thalassemia may protect against COVID 19, SARS-CoV-2 infection in beta thalassemia: Preliminary data from the Italian experience, COVID-19 and thalassaemia: A position statement of the Thalassaemia International Federation, Challenging Times for Children With Transfusion-dependent Thalassemia Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Reduced immune response: Excess iron can build up in regions of the body such as the. This causes less severe anemia. (2022). The first study, conducted by . COVID-19 in benign hematology: emerging challenges and special considerations for healthcare professionals. Munkongdee T, et al. What's the Link Between ARDS and COVID-19? There are three types of thalassemia, one is minor and the other two Alpha and Beta thalassemia are a major threat to health of a person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Thalassemia International Federation urge people with thalassemia to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Some of these include: Secondary infections (bacterial infections that develop in people with a viral infection such as COVID-19) may be more common in people with thalassemia, especially those who have had their spleen removed. In a preprint review of studies from late July 2022, researchers examined how beta thalassemia minor affects outcomes of COVID-19. But if you only have the trait, you may have a slightly increased risk of high blood pressure or anemia during pregnancy, according to 2022 research. People with certain medical conditions. COVID vaccine & autoimmune disease FAQ. While it's always helpful to know your blood type, most people won't necessarily need to know that information. 8600 Rockville Pike A 2014 Chinese study found that 17.8% of people with beta-thalassemia trait also had genetic mutations that affected the alpha gene. Would you like email updates of new search results? Blood and Bone Marrow Genetic Disorders. Beta thalassemia major often needs to be treated with regular blood transfusions. Orphanet J Rare Dis. For people living with thalassemia, because too much iron may build up in the blood, foods high in iron may need to be limited. 2023 Feb 9;10:1056599. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1056599. People with beta thalassemia may be immunosuppressed if they have impairment of spleen function or had their spleen removed. See additional information. Learn more. Heavy alcohol drinking is known to further aggravate anemia. All rights reserved. In that event, it's advisable that the therapy be stopped until the infection has cleared. This shortage has been of even greater concern in South Asia (due to a high incidence of beta-thalassemia), where it's been estimated that 200,000 people depend on regular blood transfusions to manage their condition. APS is an autoimmune disorder that makes your blood clot easily. 2023 Jan 1;15(1):e2023007. government site. That means your genetic sex (based on which sex chromosomes you have) doesnt influence whether you inherit the condition. Marhaeni W, Felicia FV, Sumadi Jap AL, Hartoyo E, Andayani P. Front Med (Lausanne). While blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy (iron-binding drugs that are sometimes given via infusion) require traveling to a clinic or hospital, there are many healthcare visits that can be handled virtually. SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with -thalassemia: The French experience. Epub 2020 Apr 27. This can make them very anaemic (tired, short of breath and pale). Chowdhury SF, Anwar S. Management of hemoglobin disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the publications discussing pregnancy in a patient with COVID19 infection mentioned thalassemia, thalassemia trait, and thalassemia minor in the list of comorbidities in the description of their included patients characteristics. COVID-19 and thalassaemia: A position statement of the Thalassaemia International Federation. Learn more. Acta Biomed. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that affects your body's ability to produce hemoglobin and healthy red blood cells. These medications bind to iron so that it can be expelled from the body. Thalassaemia International Federation . Conclusions: Vulnerability of -thalassemia heterozygotes to COVID-19: Results from a cohort study. Thalassemias. We avoid using tertiary references. Whats the outlook for people who have beta thalassemia? (2014). Facial Presentation in People with Beta-Thalassemia Major, The Hidden Signs You May Have a Red Meat Allergy From a Tick Bite, Alpha Thalassemia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More, Alopecia Areata and Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid. Regular screenings are often recommended. There are four types of alpha thalassemia, and two main types of beta thalassemia. According to the CDC, people shouldnt get vaccinated if they have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. However, some limited evidence suggests that certain types of thalassemia may have some protective effect against COVID-19. Beta thalassemia minor and SARS-CoV-2, prevalence, severity, morbidity and mortality: A systematic review study. The first study, conducted by Danish researchers, analyzed data from more than 473,000 people tested for COVID-19 with data from a control group of more than 2.2m non-tested people. If you're pregnant and heterozygous for beta-thalassemia, you may not need treatment, but there are still some things to consider for a healthy. If the inherited mutation affects only one gene, you are a silent carrier for alpha-thalassemia. Learn more about its symptoms and how it's diagnosed. Needs T, et al. People with beta thalassemia minor might never know they have the disease. A comprehensive update of ICET-A Network on COVID-19 in thalassemias: what we know and where we stand. Working with your healthcare team to keep up with thalassemia treatments, getting vaccinated, and monitoring and treating for complications early if COVID-19 symptoms do develop are the recommended strategies to staying healthy through the pandemic. Learn more about beta-thalassemia trait and pregnancy. They also may have antiviral effects and positive effects on the immune system, particularly with RNA viruses (viruses that have RNA as its genetic material, such as the virus causing COVID-19). COVID Increases Risk of Long-Term Brain Injury, Study Shows, COVID Tongue: How a Swollen Tongue Could Indicate COVID-19, Even Mild COVID-19 Infections Increase Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Research Shows, CDC Adds Mental Health Conditions to High-risk of Severe Illness From COVID List, COVID-19 Pneumoniathe Lung Infection Caused by Getting COVID-19, Does Sunlight Kill COVID-19 and Does Vitamin D Prevent It? All rights reserved. An exception is for people who have already begun the conditioning process for a stem-cell transplant. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccination for people with beta-thalassemia or . According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with thalassemia may be at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. While the latest research suggests that antibodies against Covid-19 could be lost in just three months, a new hope has appeared on the horizon: the enigmatic T cell. According to this systematic-review meta-analysis, beta-thalassemia carriers could be less affected by CO VID-19 than the general population and more susceptible to die from COVID-19 or one of its consequences. For the latest on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page. -, Motta I, Migone De Amicis M, Pinto VM, et al. (2022). PMC This complication should be monitored and treated as it is for people with other forms of preexisting heart disease. Comparing serum ferritin levels during COVID-19 infection and recovery period in pediatric patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia, a single-center study. Thalassemia is a medical condition in which the body makes less hemoglobin than usual. Med (Lausanne). 2021.doi:10.1016/j.htct.2021.04.003, Dalamaga M, Karampela I, Mantzoros CS. What is the treatment for beta thalassemia? So, its important to know your status. The current evidence suggests that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the risk of side effects for most people with autoimmune disease, according to the Global Autoimmune Institute, which reviewed the available scientific literature.
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